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Bloody Sixth: the Sixth North Carolina Regiment, Confederate States of America

A Badly Needed Victory Under Hoke 189
North Carolina, determined to attack the fortified to^vn of Plymouth
on the Roanoke Ri%er, about 50 miles east of Tarboro and 125 miles
below AVeldon, terminus of the \Vilmington and ^Veldon Railroad.
Plymouth, an important ri\er port and military post some seven
miles ^\•est of the mouth of the Roanoke, was garrisoned by 3,000
Union troops commanded by Brigadier General Heni7 W. Wessells
of Cooperstown, Ne^\- York. Dming the year and a half that the
Unionists had been in cor^rol of the town, Plymouth had been made
into a veritable Gibraltar.CAtcording to a Confederate writer,
... on its left flank is Coneby Creek, skirted on either side
^vith an impassable morass. The enemy had thrown up a very
heavy fortication in front, extending from the river to the
creek—a distance of a mile—with a deep ditch in front. At short
intervals along this line ^vere siege and field guns in embrasure
and in the centre ivas the \V'iIIiams Fort, mounting 6 very heavy
siege and 3 field guns in batteries. This fort occupied a com-manding
elevation; was exceedingly strong, with a deep ditch
and impenetrable stockade surroiniding it, enclosed on all sides,
and in case of assault was protected with a heavy gate and
dra^vbridge, thus closing the only entrance into the Fort. Inside
of this line were three other forts, mounting tivo to four siege
guns in barbette, protecting their left flank and rear. Immediately
upon the river ^vas one 200-Parrott rifle in position. On their
right flank, about 600 yards in ad\ance of the main line was
Fort Wessell, similar to Fort Williams—not so large—and mount-ing
tA\o guns. One mile higher up the river ivas Fort Wanen, of
like construction, mounting one 100 Panott and several other
guns of heavy calibre, all commanding the river and any land
attack. In addition were four gun-boats to co-operate with these
"Wessells, hearing that the Confederate ironclad ram "Albemarle,"
commanded by Captain James W. Cooke, ^\•as nearly completed up
the river at Halifax, made arrangements to deal with her. The
Roanoke -was blocked with lines of stakes and sunken vessels filled
with sand, and "infested" -svith torpedoes. According to the Con-federates,
"every appliance of engineering skill and yankee industry
with pick and spade had been exhausted for a t\\'elve months' lal)or
to make Plymouth a Sebastojxjl." Wessells' force consisted of five
regiments of infantry and several companies of heavy and light
artillen- and cavalry. The naval fleet was commanded by Captain
Charles \V. Flusser of Kentucky, "said to be an officer of rare in-trepidity
and merit." Altogether the obstacles facing the Confederates
were formidable, tho^^vere not impregnable against a prolonged and
detennined assault.^^^^
The Confederate force that prepared to march against Plymouth
consisted of the infantiy brigades of Matt W. Ransom, James La^vson

A Badly Needed Victory Under Hoke 189
North Carolina, determined to attack the fortified to^vn of Plymouth
on the Roanoke Ri%er, about 50 miles east of Tarboro and 125 miles
below AVeldon, terminus of the \Vilmington and ^Veldon Railroad.
Plymouth, an important ri\er port and military post some seven
miles ^\•est of the mouth of the Roanoke, was garrisoned by 3,000
Union troops commanded by Brigadier General Heni7 W. Wessells
of Cooperstown, Ne^\- York. Dming the year and a half that the
Unionists had been in cor^rol of the town, Plymouth had been made
into a veritable Gibraltar.CAtcording to a Confederate writer,
... on its left flank is Coneby Creek, skirted on either side
^vith an impassable morass. The enemy had thrown up a very
heavy fortication in front, extending from the river to the
creek—a distance of a mile—with a deep ditch in front. At short
intervals along this line ^vere siege and field guns in embrasure
and in the centre ivas the \V'iIIiams Fort, mounting 6 very heavy
siege and 3 field guns in batteries. This fort occupied a com-manding
elevation; was exceedingly strong, with a deep ditch
and impenetrable stockade surroiniding it, enclosed on all sides,
and in case of assault was protected with a heavy gate and
dra^vbridge, thus closing the only entrance into the Fort. Inside
of this line were three other forts, mounting tivo to four siege
guns in barbette, protecting their left flank and rear. Immediately
upon the river ^vas one 200-Parrott rifle in position. On their
right flank, about 600 yards in ad\ance of the main line was
Fort Wessell, similar to Fort Williams—not so large—and mount-ing
tA\o guns. One mile higher up the river ivas Fort Wanen, of
like construction, mounting one 100 Panott and several other
guns of heavy calibre, all commanding the river and any land
attack. In addition were four gun-boats to co-operate with these
"Wessells, hearing that the Confederate ironclad ram "Albemarle,"
commanded by Captain James W. Cooke, ^\•as nearly completed up
the river at Halifax, made arrangements to deal with her. The
Roanoke -was blocked with lines of stakes and sunken vessels filled
with sand, and "infested" -svith torpedoes. According to the Con-federates,
"every appliance of engineering skill and yankee industry
with pick and spade had been exhausted for a t\\'elve months' lal)or
to make Plymouth a Sebastojxjl." Wessells' force consisted of five
regiments of infantry and several companies of heavy and light
artillen- and cavalry. The naval fleet was commanded by Captain
Charles \V. Flusser of Kentucky, "said to be an officer of rare in-trepidity
and merit." Altogether the obstacles facing the Confederates
were formidable, tho^^vere not impregnable against a prolonged and
detennined assault.^^^^
The Confederate force that prepared to march against Plymouth
consisted of the infantiy brigades of Matt W. Ransom, James La^vson